DMK no longer harps on north-south divide

CHENNAI: In the sixties, top leaders of DMK, used to wax eloquently about how Tamil Nadu was getting a raw deal from the Congress Government at the centre without public and private sector projects. No longer, the party has such a grudge being a coalition partner at the centre and a strong ally of Congress.

As the curtains came down on the poll campaign, DMK patriarch and State Chief Minister gave a new dimension to North- South relationship. He sought to send a strong message to the voters that if the State has a mature leadership and maintained cordial relationship with the Centre without any confrontation, it stands to gain a lot.

At the recent public meeting in Chennai, which was addressed by Congress President and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, he toasted a new slogan, " North gives; South progresses" ( Vadukku Vazanguhirathu; Therku Therukirathu).
He was referring to the copious flow of central funds to the State and massive investments attracted in building infrastructure, IT, telecom and industrial projects in the State in the last five years.

Recalling DMK���s old days slogan - North prospers; south languishes ( Vadukku Vazhirathu; Therku Theigirathu), the CM told the gathering no longer it holds good.

This is being viewed a refreshing change in the approach of the State to Delhi. In the sixties, when it was a bitter critic of Congress Government at the Centre and in Delhi, the founder, C N Annadurai and top leaders like K A Mathizhagan and V R Nedunchezhiyan used to attack them for pampering the northern States and neglecting the south.

Some of their famous slogans raised by then in Parliament and public meetings were: Irumbukku Tata ( Tata steel project in north); Cherupukku Bata ( Bata shoe factory); Vadakkey Sindri (PSU fertiliser plant in Jharkhand); Therkey Mundiri ( only cashewnut processing in Kerela and TN).

During Indira Gandhi���s Prime Ministership, Karunanidhi used to narrate how the Salem steel plant, conceived as an integrated steel plant, had ultimately turned into an rolling mill. ( Instead of an Urukku aalai it became an Uruttu aalai).

Last year, fulfilling the State���s dream, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh flagged off a Rs 1553 crore programme designed to convert the rolling mill into an integrated steel plant of global standard.

His nephew, late Murasoli Maran, when he was Union Minister for commerce and Industry also used to say that after liberalisation, Tamil Nadu and South are no longer lagging behind other States in attracting investments. There are only two types of States in the country- performing and non-performing States, he used to explain.

According to DMK manifesto, TN obtained 11% of the total plan expenditure of Union Government amounting to nearly Rs 3, 70,000 crore over the last five years. This unprecedented financial transfer facilitated implementation of 69 union plan schemes in the State.

The party has also cited the implementation of road, bridges, port and other infrastructure projects at a cost of Rs 56,664 crore, the Rs 2427 crore Sethu Canal project ( work now stopped), Rs 14, 600 crore metro rail project in Chennai, Rs 1330 crore Hogenakal drinking water project, the Rs 470 crore auto testing and R & D centre at Oragadam, the Rs 908 crore sea water desalination project at Nemmeli besides new central versity, IIM, National maritime versity etc.